06 October 2009

WATCH THIS SPACE

To the loyal friends who still check to see if I've tapped anything into the blogosphere: hang on, something new and better is coming.

Heresy! I hear you roar. And true enough, I could never improve on the quality and caliber of my collaborators: Angela, Erin, and my original globe-trotting partner-in-crime Aleks (alias Cinnamon Jones, Tsinamin Djonz). Thank you very much ladies for eating everything from the ultimate chocolate chip cookies, Mexican breakfasts, and naan bread in Kabul. Your appetites have enriched us all.

Yet all by my lonesome in London, and out of deference to the fact that I cannot replace the original Girl Who Ate Everything (will have to fire my researcher for that embarrassing branding clash!), a new opportunity has emerged. No hints, though. You'll have to wait and find out.

Borough Market Resilient

Fear no more: Borough Market is alive and well despite construction on the historic site. Network Rail has begun work on a new train line into London Bridge station, which will close the old market hall for at least two years. Vendors in that location have been redistributed primarily to the new Jubilee Market, located in the formerly barren space on Winchester Walk between the wholesale market and The Rake pub.

The future of the market seemed in jeopardy as the forced relocation of these stalls, comprising about a third of all vendors, occurred at the same time as a rent increase. Concerns still exist that the Network Rail Thameslink project, which demolishes a few surrounding buildings, will over-gentrify the area and cause the market to lose its Dickensian character.

Yet the hungry hoards still descended and thronged the market stalls these past couple weekends since the move. Confusion has been eased by new information stands that direct customers to the new location of their favorite vendors. Since the Jubilee Market is around the corner from the rest of the market it remains undiscovered by some market-goers and is less crowded even on a Saturday afternoon.

Borough Market is one of London’s most famous foodie destinations comprising both a wholesale market for fruits and vegetables that occurs every night (except Saturday) and a specialty food bazaar open to the public Thursday through Saturday. Its origins can be traced back 1,000 years to when the Romans first built London Bridge.

This will be sent to the ilovemygrub.com team as part of an application to be their intern - and try to spin this food writing gig into the realm of paid professionals.